bergfelt



y 1959 N. H. BERGFELT 2,893,631

POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 28. 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 7, 1959 N. H. BERGFELT POWER OPERATED smn CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1954 July 7, 1959 N. H. BERGFELT POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 28. 1954 July 7, 1959 N. H. BERGFE/LT POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 28. 1954 July 7, 1959 N. H. BERGFELT POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROLMECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 28. 1954 y 1959 N. H. BERGFELT 2,893,631

POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 28. 1954 I 7 Sheets-Sheet s July 7, 1959 N. H. BERGFELT POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Sept. 28. 1954 United States Patent POWER OPERATED SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM Nils H. Bergfelt, San Francisco, Calif, assignor to Fritlen,

Inc., a corporation of California Application September 28, 1954, Serial No. 458,883

8 Claims. (Cl. 235 73) This invention relates to calculating machines, and more particularly to an improved means for controlling addition and subtraction in a duplex register machine.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved control for a reversible accumulator in a calculating machine having a unidirectionally operable actuating means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for controlling the sign character of the registrations on the numeral wheels of one or more registers in a calculating machine having reversible numeral Wheels and unidirectionally operable actuating means therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sign character control mechanism which employs power-operated means for determinnig addition or subtraction in one or more registers in a calculating machine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of power-operated mechanism for selectively controlling the sign character of registrations in one or a plurality of registers of a calculating machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a calculating machine of the type having bidirectionally operable numeral wheels in a plurality of registers and unidirectionally operable actuating means therefor, poweroperated mechanism for selectively determining like or unlike directional rotation of the wheels in all registers.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the machine taken from front to rear;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the clutch showing the control mechanism therefor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one set of plus and minus keys and the mechanism conditioned thereby;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a second set of adjacent plus and minus keys and the mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 5 is a cabinet projection of the clutch, the engaging means therefor, and the plural latch releasing mechanism controlled by the clutch;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one set of plus and minus keys showing the plus key fully depressed and the controlled mechanism conditioned thereby; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the sign character control means for each of two registers and the linkage connected therewith.

My invention is illustrated in connection with a calculating machine of the Thomas-type having duplex registers and a unidirectionally operable actuator and having reversible, or bidirectionally operable, numeral wheels in each of the registers. Basically, the machine is of the type disclosed in the Patent No. 2,229,889 issued to Carl M. F. Friden, January 28, 1941. While certain features of my invention are adapted particularly for use in this type of machine, certain of such features and other feaice tures of my invention can be used in other types of calculating machines.

Selecting, actuating and accumulating mechanisms The machine includes side frame members 12, 13, 14 and 21 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) which are connected by various crossframe members 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, serving to mount various mechanisms referred to hereinafter. The machine is provided with two accumulator registers, respectively comprising a series of reversible numeral wheels 24 and 25 (Fig. 1), in the register carriage generally indicated at 26. The carriage is mounted at the front on frame member 20 by rollers 27, and at its rear on transverse frame member 19, for endwise shifting movement laterally of the machine in either direction to various ordinal positions. The values to be introduced into numeral wheels 24, 25 are selected by means of a plurality of ordinal rows, or orders, of settable value keys 28, one of which orders is illustrated in part in Fig. 1. Each ordinal row of keys 28 cooperates with selecting mechanism including a pair of spring-urged slides 29 mounted for endwise movement to position the associated pair of gears 30 selectively with respect to the stepped teeth of the associated actuating cylinder 31 in accordance with the value of the depressed key. Cylinders 31 (Fig. l) are mounted on actuating shafts 32 having suitable bevel gear connections with transverse drive shaft 33, which is suitably journalled in side members 12 and 13. Each shaft 32 serves two orders of the machine and has a pair of cylinders 31 mounted thereon. Shaft 33 and shafts 32 are driven cyclically, in a conventional manner, from a motor through clutch 34 (Fig. 2) which is driven by suitable gearing from the motor to gear 35. As explained in the aforementioned patent, clutch 34 is engaged or disengaged by oscillation of spring-urged clutch pawl, or dog, 36 with respect to ratchet 37 pinned to driving gear 35 and journalled on shaft 33 as a unit. Pawl 36 is pivotally mounted at 38 on driven disk 39 secured to shaft 33 and is normally urged into driving engagement with ratchet 37 by spring 40. Clutch-control lever 41, pivoted on side frame member 21, determines engagement or disengagement of the clutch by releasing or engaging clutch pawl 36 in the full-cycle position thereof.

From the above description, it is seen that the values set in the machine by depression of keys 28 will be introduced into numeral wheels 24 and 25 by the cooperation of gears 30 with cylinders 31 during cyclic operation of the clutch. Each pair of gears 30 is slidably mouhted on a square shaft 45 (Fig. 1) supported in crossframe mem'- bers 15, 16 and extending rearwardly of the machine where its rear end is journalle'd in crossframe member 19. Intermediate members 16 and 19, a spool 46 is slidably and nonrotatably mounted on each shaft 45 and has opposite bevel gears 47, 48 at its ends positioned for cooperation with numeral wheel gear 49 mounted at the lower end of numeral wheel shaft 50 journalled in frame- 51 of carriage 26. Therefore, when one set of gears 47, 48 is engaged with gears 49, numeral wheels 24 will be rotated forwardly or reversely to register a number of increments equal to the value of the depressed keys 28 in the aligned banks of keys.

The cooperation of the cylinders 31 and gears 30 also serves through square shafts 45 to selectively or simultaneously enter values from the keyboard into register dials 25. Each square shaft 45 is provided with a star wheel 52, which is operable to detent the shaft in each of its angularly rotated positions. The hub of the wheel 52 serves as a journal for the rearward end of shaft 45 in the frame member 19 and receives the forward end of square shaft 53 for rotation with shaft 45, which shaft 53 is journalled at its rear end in a frame member (not shown). A square shaft 54 is provided for each square shaft unit 45, 53, with each such shaft 54 being journalled in frame members 19 and rear frame member (not shown) in a plane above, and axially parallel with, shafts 53. At its forward end, each square shaft 54 carries spur gear 55 secured thereto enmeshed with idler gear 56 mounted on frame plate member 19, which gear, in turn, is normally enmeshed with gear 57 slidably and nonrotatably mounted on shafts 53. Each shaft 54 carries spool 58 slidably and nonrotatably mounted thereon and having opposite bevel gears 59 and 60 at its ends positioned for cooperation with numeral wheel gear 61 mounted at the lower end of the numeral wheel shaft 62 journalled in frame 63 of carriage 26. Gears 57 may be shifted out of mesh with gears 56 during the tens-transfer phase of each machine cycle, which operation is not pertinent to the instant invention and therefore will not be described.

Revolutions counter A revolutions counter is also provided to register positively or negatively the number of actuations of accumulator numeral wheels 24 or 25. Revolutions counter numeral wheels 68 (Fig. 1) are suitably journalled in carriage 26 and are actuated by actuator 69 on shaft 70 to register the number of positive and negative registrations n numeral wheels 24, 25, as fully disclosed in said patent.

Plus and minus keys Means are provided for selectively determining positive or negative registrations on the numeral wheels 24 in the form of plus key 74 and minus key 75 (Fig. 3), which are slidably mounted on control plate 13 by shoulder screws 78 engaging in slots in the key stems. Similarly, values may be registered positively or negatively on numeral wheels 25 upon depression of plus key 76 or minus key 77 (Fig. 4), which are slidably mounted on control plate 14 by similar screw and slot connections 80. Each of the keys 74, 75 is normally urged to its up position by respective springs 79, while keys 76, 77 are normally urged to their raised positions by respective springs 81. Depression of either of keys 74, 75 or 7 6, 77, or the simultaneous depression of either key in each combination, serves to engage the clutch, close the motor circuit and select the sign character of the registration on the respective numeral wheels 24, 25. Registrations of like or unlike sign character may be registered simultaneously on numeral wheels 24, 25 upon simultaneous depression of either key 74 or 75 and key 76 or 77. To enable the drive, keys 74, 75 carry respective pins 82 (Figs. 2, 3 and in operative relation with suitable cam surfaces 83 in the arcual top surface of a T-shaped member 84 pivoted at 85 on frame member 13 for oscillating movement adjacent the keys, and normally urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 86.

T-shaped member 84 is provided with laterally extended portions 87, 88 having angularly disposed arcuate slots 89, 90 therein, which serve, through engagement with the upper shoulder screws 78, to guide member 84 in its oscillatory movement. To effect control of the clutch 34, lateral extended portion 88 of member 84 (Figs. 2 and 5) carries a pin 91 normally engaged in the leftward end of an elongated slot in the lower edge of a link 92 pivotally connected at 93 to one end of a link 94, which end is pivotally mounted on an arm 95 rockably mounted at 96 on frame plate member 21. Link 94 is pivoted at its opposite end at 97 to clutch control arm 41. At its lower end, arm 95 is connected to a conventional rearwardly extending link 98 by a pin 99 extending through an aperture in the plate member 21. The rearward end of link 98 is suitably supported on the framework of the machine and upon forward movement thereof, serves to close the motor switch in a conventional manner, as disclosed in the patent to Hopkins, et al., No. 2,666,580, issued January 19, 1954. Thus, it can be seen that upon depression of either key 74 or 75, respective pin 82 thereon engages the corresponding cam surface 83 to rock member 84 clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, which, through pin 91, moves links 92 and 94 to the right to rock clutch-engaging pawl 41 clockwise, thereby permitting spring 40 to move pawl 36 into engagement with the ratchet 37. Substantially, simultaneously with the engagement of clutch 34, arm is rocked clockwise to move link 98 forwardly of the machine to close the motor switch.

The depression of either keys 76 or 77 operates in the same manner as that of key 74 or 75 to engage the clutch and close the motor circuit. Either pin 101, similar to the pins 82 of keys 74, 75, serves upon depression of keys 76 or 77, to engage in a respective cam slot (Fig. 5) in the arcual top surface of a similar T-shaped member 106, partially shown in phantom, and pivoted for oscil latory movement on frame plate 14 adjacent keys 76, 77. Angularly spaced arcuate slots 107 are provided in member 106 for engagement with the two upper pins of the pin-and-slot connections 80 (Fig. 4) to guide member 106 in its oscillatory movement. The two T-shaped members 84, 106 are rigidly connected 'by a yoke 108 (Figs' 2 and 5), so that the rocking of either member will invariably rock the other.

The registration sign character control mechanism as sociated with keys 74, 75 and 76, 77 is similar in construction, so that a description of the mechanism associated with keys 74, 75 should suflice for that associated with keys 76, 77. To determine the sign character of a registration in numeral wheels 24, plus and minus keys 74, 75 (Figs. 3 and 6) have respective rollers 114 and 115 disposed in operative relation with the respective cam surfaces of arms 116 and 117, each of said arms having a common pivotal engagement at 118 on a plusminus link 119. Each of the pair of arms 116, 117 is normally maintained in its inoperative position and in engagement with respective rollers 114, 115 by a spring 120, secured at its one end in an ear formed at right angles to an upwardly extended portion 121 of arm 116 and at its other end in an ear formed at right angles to an upwardly extended portion 122 of arm 117. Link 119 is mounted for endwise movement at its front end by a pin-and-slot connection 123 with control plate 13, and at its rear end by an arm 124 secured on shaft 125 (Figs. 1 and 7) which is suitably journalled in side frame members 12 and 13 of the machine. Shaft 125 carries transversely extending strap 126, supported at its ends on similar arms 127 and positioned between gears 47, 48, so that rocking movement of shaft 125 under control of plus-minus link 119 serves to determine the engagement of gears 47 or 48 with numeral wheel gears 49 (Fig. 1), or to determine the disengagement thereof, as in the position shown.

Means are provided whereby the movement of plus minus link 119 in either direction is controlled under power, upon engagement of clutch 34, to selectively engage gears 47 or 48 with gears 49 (Fig. 1). For this purpose, a pair of correlated bellcranks 130 and 131 (Figs. 3 and 6) are respectively pivotally mounted at 132 and 133 on control plate 13 for oppositely acting mutual cooperation therebetween. An arm 134 of hellcrank 130 normally lies in a horizontal plane and carries a roller 135 at its extremity for engagement in an elongated slot in the left end of an arm 136 of bellcrank 131, which arm normally lies in horizontal alignment with arm 134. Bellcrank 130 carries a depending arm 137, having a roller 138 disposed at the lower end thereof for cooperation with arm 116 upon depression of key 74, whereas, bellcrank 131 carries 2. depending arm 139 having a roller 140 mounted thereon intermediate the lower end of the arm and the apex of the bellcrankfor cooperation with arm 117 upon depression of key 75. Ann 139 of bellcrank 131 also carries a roller 141 mounted thereon, intermediate the lower end thereof and the roller 140. Roller 141 is resiliently urged by a spring 142 into engagement with a cam 143 secured on drive shaft 33, which cam becomes effective upon engagement of clutch 34, to rock bellcrank 131 clockwise and, through the slot and roller 135, to rock bellcrank 130 counter-clockwise. Thus, it can be seen that upon depression of plus key 74, roller 114 thereon rocks the arcual surface of the free end of arm 116 into operative position relative to pin 138, as seen in Fig. 6. Clutch 34 then becomes effective, through cam 143 to rock bellcranks 131 and 130, moving arm 116 and therefore link 119 to the right to engage gears 47 with the dial shaft gears 49 for a positive registration in the dials 24. For a negative registration in the numeral wheels 24, minus key 75 is depressed and roller 115 becomes effective to rock arm 117 into the plane of roller 140 on bellcrank 131 for control thereby when cam 143 operates to rock bellcrank 131 clockwise, thereby moving plus-minus link 119 to the left to engage gears 48 with the dial shaft gears 49. An ear 144 is provided on a lower extended portion of arm 116 and at right angles thereto for engagement with the lower edge of arm 117, thereby preventing rocking movement of either arm beyond its respective roller 138, 140.

The contour of the lower surface of each of the arms 116, 117 is such that in the active position of either arm, the inactive arm will permit the rightward or leftward translation of the link 119, and the ineffective rocking movement of the corresponding roller 140 or 138. Likewise, in the inactive position of both arms, cam 143 inefi'ectively rocks bellcranks 131, 130 and the link 119 and the arms thereon may be moved in either direction during automatic plural order operations of the machine. Upon rocking of either arm 116 or 117, spring 120 is tensioned to resiliently maintain the inactive arm in its inoperative position.

A dwell is provided on the cam 143 for approximately the first 90 degrees of rotation thereof, to enable the operation of other mechanism utilized in automatic operations of the machine, which operations are not pertinent to the invention. Referring to Fig. 6, it is seen that only approximately the first 90 degrees clockwise rotation of cam 143 is operable to effect and maintain the engagement of the plus gears 47 or minus gears 48 with the dial shaft gears 49 for a positive or negative registration on dials 24. Means are therefore provided for retaining either key 74 or 75 depressed to maintain the operative arm 116 or 117 in cooperative relation with the respective roller 138 or 140, and to latch bellcranks 131 and 130 in their rocked position to retain gears 47 or 48 in engagement with their respective dial gears 49 during cyclic operation of the machine. Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, a latch slide 150 is mounted for endwise sliding movement by pin-and-slot connections 151 on control plate 13 adjacent the minus key 75. At its upper end, slide 150 carries an extension 152 having an ear 153 formed at right angles thereto, and normally urged by a spring 154 into engagement with the lower surface of a tooth 155 provided on the lower edge of the extended portion 87 of T-shaped member 84. Thus, upon depression of key 74 or 75 and the clockwise rocking of member 84, spring 154 urges ear 153 behind the tooth 155 to maintain member 84 in its rocked position, thereby causing cam slot 83 to hold the respective pin 82 of the depressed key. On its lower end latch slide 150 carries a toe 156 extending rearwardly thereof, i.e., in a direction opposite to that of the extension 152, which toe 156 becomes effective to release car 153 from tooth 155 in a manner to be hereinafter described. It will be recalled that each of the T-shaped members 84 and 106 are connected together as a unit by yoke 108 for rocking movement conjointly, thereby rendering latch slide 150 efiective to retain either or both plus keys 74 and 76, or minus keys 75 and 77, or keys 74 and 77, or keys 75 and 76, or any one of them, latched in their depressed positions. 5

Means are provided for enabling disengagement of the clutch 34 following each cyclic rotation thereof, except when a control key is held depressed for a plurality of cycles. For this purpose, the notch in link 92 (Figs. 2 and 5) is of sufiicient length to permit the pin 82 on the selected key 74 or 75 to enter the associated cam slot 83 of member 84, or the pin 101 on the selected key 76 or 77 to enter the associated slot of member 106, to about two-thirds of the slot depth before the rocking of members 84 and 106 becomes effective to move links 92 and 94 to the right against the urgency of spring 100 to enable the engagement of clutch 34. Following the full stroke depression of a key and upon engagement of pawl 36 with ratchet 37 (Fig. 2), spring 154 moves latch slide into latching position for engagement by tooth 155 on member 84, the T-member, however, being rocked considerably beyond latching position. Then when the key is released, it is returned approximately one-third of the key stroke under the urgency of its spring to a partially depressed position in which it is held by the engagement of tooth 155 with ear 153 and the engagement of its pin 82 or 101 with the effective cam slot 83 or 105. Simultaneously, with the counter-clockwise return of member 84 to latched position, clutch control lever 41 returns under the influence of spring 100 to a position where roller 157 on lever 41 engages with the outer periphery of disk 39 to maintain the clutch engaged for a single cycle of operation. In the return of lever 41 to engage roller 157 with disk 39, the movement of the link 92 is not sufficient to move the right end of the slot therein into engagement with the pin 91, so that roller 157 is permitted to drop into a depression in the periphery of the disk 39 to thereby enable clutch control lever 41 to disengage pawl 36 from engagement with the ratchet 37. It becomes readily apparent from the foregoing that multicyclic operation of the machine may be effected by holding any key fully depressed for the number of cycles desired.

To maintain plus gears 47 or minus gears 48 in engagement with dial shaft gears 49 during each cyclic operation of clutch 34, a latch arm 160 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6) is provided, pivoted at 161 on control plate 13. The leading edge of arm 160 is resiliently maintained in abutting relation with an ear 162 formed at right angles to the lower end of depending arm 139 of bellcrank 131 by a spring 163 (Fig. 5), secured at one end on a stud in the side frame member of the machine and at its other end to a depending portion 164 of arm 160. Upon engagement of clutch 34 and the initial rotation of cam 143 to rock bellcrank 131 in a clockwise direction, ear 162 thereon is engaged by a notch 165 in the free end of latch arm 160 to maintain bellcranks 131 and 130 in their rocked position to the completion of the operation.

Means are provided whereby the depression of either key 74 or 75 prevents a depression of the other key. This interlocking means assumes the form of an inverted Y-shaped member (Figs. 3 and 6), pivoted at 171 for oscillation on side frame member 13. As viewed in Fig. 6, a partial depression of plus key 74 moves its roller 114 downwardly into engagement with the upper inclined surface of one arm 172 of member 170 to rock the member 170 counter-clockwise, and upon further downward movement of the key 74, roller 114 is moved along the vertically disposed surface of the arm 172 to move the inclined surface of a second arm 173 of memher 170 into abutting relation with the roller 115 on key 75. Thus, it can be seen that while key 74 is depressed, the operation of key 75 is disabled. Likewise, the depression of key 75 and its roller 115 rocks the member 170 clockwise, thereby moving the inclined surface of arm 172 to an underlying position with respect to roller 114 on key 74, therebyblocking a depression of the key. v

The. selective. engagement, of the; plus-minus gears 59, 60 with dial shaft gears 61 to effect a positive or negative registration innumeralwheeldials;25 (Fig. 1) is effected ina similar manner. to that ofthe gears 4.7,. 48 with dial' shaft gears 49.. The plus-minus link, or slide, 176. is mounted for endwise movement in either. direction by pin-and-slot connection. 177 on! side frame member 14 (Fig. 4), and at its rear, end by arm 178 secured to one end of. a shaft 179 (Fig. 7), which is suitably journalled in side members Hand. 13. Shaft 179 carries a transversely extending. strap- 1,80 which is positioned. between gears 59- and 60; (Fig. 1). and. supported at either end.

by similar arms:1;75 secured on the shaft so that rocking movementof shaft 179, under control of plusaminus slide 176, serves to determine. the engagement of gears 59 or 60 with numeral, wheel'gears 61, or to determine the disengagement thereof, as in the position shown.

Referring to Figs. 4- and*7, upon: depression of pluszkey 76, a roller 181 thereon. rocks a, setting, arms 182. counterclwkwise about its pivot. 183 on; pl'usrminus slide 176, moving the arcuate, surface of. the. arm: into operative relation with a roller 184 on the lower extremity of a depending arm of bellcrank 185. Simultaneously therewith, a Y-shaped member 186 isrockedicounter-clockwise aboutits pivot 187 on, side frame, 14 to block an inadvertcnt depression. of; minus. key 77. As. described here-.

inbefore, a pin 101 on key 76, similar topin. 82 of key 74, is moved downwardly in. engagement with the respective cam surface 105 ofzT-shapedmember 106 (Fig. torock the member clockwise, which clockwise rocking of; member 106 rocks member 84. through connecting yoke 108. Clockwise oscillation ofmember 84 serves, through pin 91, to move links 92 and 94 to. the right, thereby rocking clutchrengaging pawl 41 clockwise to initiatecyclic operation, of: the machine. Members 84 and 106 are latched in. their rocked position by the engagement of. car 153 with the tooth 155 of member 84 (Fig.2) under the: urgency of; spring 154, thereby'latching the depressedkey in, its. operative position. A cam 188 (Fig. 4), similar to cam 1.43 (Fig. 3)", is. secured on: drive shaft 33 and becomes operative through a roller 203 on a bellcrank 189, upon engagement of clutch 34, to rock bellcrank 189- and, its correlated: bellcrank 185, respectively, clockwise and counter-clockwise about their pivots 190 and 191 on framemember 1'4. Upon-rocking movement, of the bellcranks against the urgency of a spring 192, roller 184 on bellcrank 185 serves, through setting arm 182, tomove plus-minus. slide 176 rearwardly or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, to engage plus gears 59 with dial shaft gears 61. Slide 176 is latched in its actively moved position when a notch 193 in the free end of anarm 194 is moved, under the influence of a spring 196, into engagementwith an ear 195 on a depending arm of bellcrank 189:. Similarly, a depression of minus. key 77 (Fig. 4) serves, through a roller 200, to

rock setting arm 201 clockwise into operative relation with a roller 202 on the depending arm of bellcrank 189, and Y-shaped member 186 isalso rocked clockwise into blocking'relationwith roller 181 on key 76. Thus,

upon initiation of a negative operation, cam 188 becomes effective, through roller 203, to rock correlated bellcranks. 189, 185, and throughroller 202tand setting arm 201, moves plus-minus slide 176 forwardly. or totheleft,

as viewed in Figs. 4 and 7,v toengage minus gears 60 Followingthecyclic operation of the machine, clutch 34. becomes effective, int the full-cycle position thereof, to

releaselatch slide150 from engagement with -tooth 155, thereby permitting the depressed key or keys to be restored to their-raised position under theinfluenceof their respectivesprings and to release latch arm. and am 194 to enable. restoration of correlated. bellcranks 130,

131 and bellcranks185, 189 to their respective normally:

ear 212formed at right angles to'latch arm 160 which, in.

turn, overlies the toe156 of latch slide 150, as seen in: Fig. 2; Latchar-m 160: and the car 212 serve to maintain the ear 209' of-latch release arm: 208 in engagement with the roller 2'10 on clutch pawl 36 under the influence of spring 163' (Fig. 5'). To release latch arm 194 from-its engagement with car 195 on bellcrank 189 (Figs. 4-and 5), a rocking lever 2.13 is pivotally mounted on the side of: the frame plate member 14 opposite to that upon which arm 194 is pivoted at 197; At its rear end, lever 213 carries an extended pin 214, the extreme end of which overlies the top edge of the extended portion 164 of latch arm 160-for cooperation therewith, while at its forward end, lever 213 has a pin 215 disposed thereon and overlying an car 216 disposed at right angles to latch arm-194 (Figs. 4 and 5). Spring 196 is effective, throughear-216, pin 215 and lever 213, to. maintain pin 214 in engage ment with the downwardly extended portion 164 of latch arm 160 for mutual cooperation therewith. Upon initiation of a machine operation, each of the latch arms 160 and 194 operate simultaneously to latch the respective bellcranks 131 and 189 in a rocked position thereof;w irrespective of which key or keys have beendepressed. It can be seen from the foregoing description of the parts that upon completion of a single cycle of operation of. the machine or multicyclic operation thereof, and in the full-cycle position of the clutch. 34, pawl 36, upon disengagement from ratchet 37, becomes effective, through roller 210, to rock arm 208 counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5. Such rocking of arm 208 imparts a. counterclockwise rotation to latch arm 160, effecting a release of the notch thereof with the car 162. Rocking of latch arm 160 also serves to release latch 150 and to rock lever 213 counter-clockwise, whereupon pin 215, in engagement with ear 216, rocks latch arm 194 to release its notch 193 from engagement with the corresponding car. 195.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the load imposed upon the control keys to condition the machine for plus and minus operations has been greatly reduced. The only function of the keys being that of engaging the clutch, closing the motor circuit, and conditioning mechanism for operation under power to determine the sign character of registrations in one or more registers;

I claim:

1. In acalculating machine, a register and actuating means therefor, a source of power, a cyclic clutch operatively related to said actuating means and providing power thereto from said source of power, settable plus minus gears movable in either direction from a central inactive position for establishing the drive therefor by said actuating means and determining the sign character" of the registration on said register, movable meansfor controlling. the position ofsaid plus-minus gears,.a.levet' operatively connected to said movable means to, effect:

into cooperativerelation with. an associatedone of saidbellcrank members, resilient. means fonrnaintainingsaid.

arms in an inoperative position, a positive and negative control key respectively operable to enable said source of power, to engage said clutch, and to operatively move a corresponding one of said pair of arms to control the movement of said lever in accordance with the depressed key, a latch member operable to retain said bellcrank members in the rocked position thereof, a cam plate rockable by either of said keys to prevent a depression of the other key, a locking member operable to lock said cam plate in a partially rocked position and to maintain the manipulated one of said keys partially depressed, and an arm operable by said clutch upon completion of one cycle thereof to release said latch member and said locking member.

2. In a calculating machine the combination of a plurality of registers and actuating means therefor, a cyclic clutch for driving said actuating means, a sign character controlling means for each of said registers selectively settable to control the sign character of registrations therein, a clutch-driven means for each of said sign character controlling means for controlling the setting thereof, a pair of normally inactive means associated with each of said sign character controlling means for determining the setting thereof by said clutch-driven means, a plus and minus key for each of said pairs of determining means operable upon depression of either of said keys to actively position the corresponding ones of said pairs of determining means relative to the respective clutch-driven means, means positionable by the depressed keys to initiate operation of said cyclic clutch and to retain said keys in a depressed position, means for latching said positionable means in its operative position, a latch for each of said clutch-driven means operable to maintain the said sign character controlling means in the set position thereof in accordance with the keys depressed, means operated by said cyclic clutch following the cyclic rotation thereof for releasing one of said latches, and means operable by said latch upon release thereof to release the other of said latches and to release said latching means.

3. In a calculating machine, a register, actuating means for said register, means adjustable to control the sign character of registrations on said register by said actuating means, a power-operated means, a cyclically operable means for controlling the operation of said actuating means and said power-operated means, a normally inactive means positionable relative to said power-operated means to control the adjustment of said adjustable means, control means operable to actively position said positionable means, means for latching said control means in operative position and enabling operation of said cyclically operable means, a latch for maintaining said power-opoperated means in the operated position thereof, and means controlled by said cyclically operable means at the conclusion of each cycle thereof to release said latching means and said latch.

4. In a calculating machine having a register and actuating means therefor, means positionable to control the sign character of registrations on said register by said actuating means, a plurality of control keys, means adjustable to control the positioning of said positionable means in accordance with the manipulation of a selected one of said keys, and mechanism for controlling the adjustment of said adjustable means including a clutch, a clutch driven means, means actuated by said clutch driven means normally ineffective to control the adjustment of said adjustable means, a plurality of normally disengaged means selectively operable by respective ones of said keys for engagement by said actuated means to determine the adjustment of said adjustable means, means for latching a selected one of said keys in operative position and engaging said clutch, a latch for said actuated means effective upon operation of said clutch driven means, and means controlled by said clutch upon disengagement thereof to release said latching means and said latch.

5. In a calculating machine, a register, registration control means including sign character control means movof the corresponding key to determine the direction of.

movement of said sign character control means, a cyclically operable clutch, means driven by said clutch operable to engage the selected operatively rocked one of said members to control the reciprocation of said reciprocable means, means for engaging said clutch, means adjustable by said keys upon depression thereof operable to retain the selected one of said keys depressed and to enable operation of said engaging means, a first latch for latching said adjustable means in adjusted position, a second latch for said clutch driven means effective upon operation of said cyclically operable clutch, and means rendered operable by said clutch at the conclusion of each cycle of operation to release said first and second latches.

6. In a calculating machine having a register, means for actuating said register normally disengaged therefrom, a cyclic drive means for operating said actuating means, adjustable means for engaging said actuating means with said register to control the sign character of registrations therein, and a control means for adjusting said adjustable means, the combination comprising resilient means for maintaining said adjustable means in disengaged position, a positive and a negative control key, means normally ineifectively actuated by said drive means for selectively controlling said control means for positive or negative registrations in said register, a normally inactive pair of arms associated with said control means and selectively operable by the respective control keys for movement to an active position for engagement by said drive means, means controlled by either of said keys eifective to latch the selected one of said pair of arms in active position and to initiate operation of said drive means, a latch operable to retain said control means and said adjustable means in the actuated position thereof, means operable by said cyclic drive means to release said latch means and said latch at the completion of each cycle thereof, and means effective to restore the actively moved arm to inactive position upon release of said latch means, thereby enabling operation of said resilient means.

7. In a calculating machine the combination of a plurality of registers, a manually operated selection mechanism, a common digitation means controlled by said selection mechanism for operating said registers, a sign character controlling means for each of said registers, a first setting means operable to set the sign character controlling means in one of said registers for positive or negative operation therein, a second setting means for setting the sign character controlling means in a second of said registers for positive or negative operation therein, a cyclic clutch, a positive and a negative control key for each of said registers operable to initiate operation of said cyclic clutch, a clutch driven means for each register, operable to control the operation of the setting means for the respective register, a normally inoperative interponent means mounted on each of said setting means and operatively positionable relative to said driven means by the said keys associated with each register to con trol the setting of the corresponding sign character controlling means, means operable to latch each of said keys in the operative position thereof, a latch means for each of said clutch-driven means effective to maintain each of said setting means in the set position thereof upon operation of said keys, and means operable by said clutch upon cyclic operation thereof to release said key latch means and said last-mentioned latch means.

8. In a calculating machine having a register and an actuating means therefor, bidirectionally operable nunmrallwheels inisa'ideregister', meanssettable todetermine; the:direction.of: rotation of: saidiwheels by said actuating means, aicycliepowerrmeans for saidiactuating means; a plus ;key-/ andza; minus key operablezto initiate operation of. saidipower means; and:mechanism.operableupon de-.

pressionxof-a respective-key to control-the setting of said settables means comprising a. plus-minus setting: means associatedwith said settable means normally inoperative to. control: the :setting thereof upon r operation of said:power' means,said:lastnamedimeansiincluding a first member andza, secondzmember selectivelyrockable from. an inactiveto an. active position by arrespective one of said keys means drivenbyrsaid' power means and'operable to actuate said first; or. said secondmernber in the active position thereof toyset-saidisettablemeans in accordance withuthe manipulated key, a latch :means for. said power,- driven. means. rendered effective by said; cyclic power means; means forv retaining: the selected one=of said members in -active=positiom means controlled;by said cyclic power: means to release said latch means, ands-means 'renderedielfective b yasaid latch means upon operationof said latch releasing; means toureleasesaid retaining means.-

References Cited .in the file .of this patent:

UNITED" STATES PATENTS 

